Posted by Allison | November 25, 2014 | Comments Off on 3 Rules For Using Body Language to Persuade

This article was written by Body Language and Persuasion Expert Traci Brown. Traci teaches strategic body language for unconscious persuasion in keynotes worldwide. She’s a frequent guest on TV interpreting the body language of criminals and politicians.To book Traci to speak to your team and get them performing at their best, visit www.BodyLanguageTrainer.com.

What would you do if you could talk anyone into anything? Would you get more out of your networking? Negotiate better deals for yourself? Would your sales network be two or three times bigger or more? When you can persuade, you hold the keys to the universe. Anything you want can be yours.

But who has time to learn how to get these big results? Follow these three quick rules for using body language to persuade and you’ll be well on your way to becoming extraordinarily influential and getting lots more of what you want.

Rule #1:Stop Judging

We’re wired to always be judging everything around us. This comes from millions of years of having to be highly concerned for our safety at every moment. In the developed world, lions and tigers aren’t out to get us any more so it’s safe to be non-judgmental. Avoid pigeon-holing people into your own boxes. Ask yourself what thought patterns are present to create their presenting behavior. Once you understand them, you can do what you need to do to change their behavior to something more beneficial to you (and them!).

Rule #2: Get Them into an Open Position

People who demonstrate closed body language are creating thought patterns that are closed. Where the body goes, the mind will follow! So when you see someone with crossed arms or legs (or both), this is not the time to present your ideas you want them to buy into. Before you go into your sales pitch, get them to move out of their position. Give them something to hold like a drink or a pen, take them for a walk, or get sneaky and ‘accidentally’ drop something and get them to pick it up. Just do what it takes to get them to move and interrupt that negative pattern!

Rule #3:Nod Your Head Yes

People are wired to follow each other. That’s how cultures are built. You can use this to your advantage. Remember, where the body goes, the mind will follow. And nodding your head means ‘Yes!’ You don’t want to make yourself like a bobble head, but you can gently nod your head as you present your ideas and notice that they likely will begin to follow, putting themselves into a positive stage surrounding your ideas.